System for controlling extension and retraction of the cartridge in a ballpoint pen



Nov. 26, 1968 J. M. COLLAUD 3,413,068

SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING EXTENSION AND RETRACTION OF THE CARTRIDGE IN A BALL-POINT PEN Filed March 24. 1966 INVENTOR JEAN M/c m. 6 044/901;

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,413,068 SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING EXTENSION AND RETRACTION OF THE CARTRlDGE IN A BALL- POINT PEN Jean Michel Collaud, Onex-Geneva, Switzerland, assignor to Fabrique Suisse de Crayons Caran dAche S.A., Geneva, Switzerland, a company of Switzerland Filed Mar. 24, 1966, Ser. No. 537,114 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Apr. 15, 1965, 5,301/65 2 Claims. (Cl. 401 114 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A ball-point pen having a push-button assembly including a tubular housing the free end of which is adapted to engage a short ink cartridge of large diameter while the interior thereof may receive a long smaller diameter ink cartridge. The assembly includes a threaded coupling slidably carried by the push-button and engageable with a threaded bushing within the pen casing.

This invention relates to a means for controlling the extension and retraction of the cartridge in a ball-point pen, comprising a push-button and a mechanism for latching the cartridge in its extended position, and in its retracted position.

The control means according to this invention is characterized by the fact that the internal portion of the push-button is tubular which permits the use, in the same pen casing of either of two types of cartridges of different links and diameters. The cartridge of larger diameter is engaged by the front edge of the push-button whereas the cartridge of smaller diameter abuts the rear wall of the tubular portion of the push-button.

One specific form of embodiment of the control system of this invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying non-limitative exemplary drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view of the rear portion of a ball-point pen, showing the control system with the cartridge in the retracted position; and

FIG. 2 is a similar view showing the cartridge in the extended position.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, there is shown thereon the rear portion of a ball-point pen which includes a tubular casing 1 into which is driven a bushing 2 formed with an internal screw thread 3. Into the rear opening 4 of casing 1 is engaged a push-button consisting of a button proper 5 rigidly connected to a thrust member or tubular housing 6 having an extension 7 thereof driven into an axial hole 8 formed in button 5. Thrust member 6 is slidable through a threaded coupling 9 and abuts against a shoulder 10 formed on its forward end. Thrust member 6 is urged into contact with shoulder 10 by a spring 11 inserted between button 5 and a shoulder 12 formed on the rearward end of coupling 9. Longitudinal grooves 13 are formed on coupling 9 between its threaded portion and its shoulder 12. Two protrusions or lips 14 are likewise formed on the forward extension of button 5. These protrusions or lips engage with grooves 13 whereby to render the push-button assembly 5, 6 angularly rigid with coupling 9. This enables coupling 9 to be screwed into the tapped bore of bushing 2 by rotating button 5.

The control system of this invention includes a mechanism for latching cartridge 15 in its extended and retracted positions. This latching mechanism comprises, in the manner well known per se, a heart-shaped cam 16 3,413,068 Patented Nov. 26, 1968 and a follower 17 cooperating therewith. In the specific constructional form illustrated, cam 16 is formed in a bushing 18 engaged over extension 7 of thrust member 6 whereby to be rotatable about said extension, while follower 17 is formed on that end portion of coupling 9 which is remote from its threaded end. Follower 17 therefore remains stationary with respect to the pen casing 1.

Clearly, a pressure exerted on button 5 will cause thrust member 6 and bushing 18 to shift forwardly and to thereby cause follower 17 to engage in the heartshaped portion 19 of cam 16. When button 5 is released, the cartridge return spring, located in the tip of the ballpoint pen, will thrust the cartridge back to some extent and, with it, thrust member 6 and bushing 18, with the latter being restrained in its forward position by follower 17 (see FIG. 2). When a fresh pressure is exert'efl on button 5, the ramp formed by cam 16 in heart-shaped groove 19 causes bushing 18 to rotate, so that upon release of button 5 follower 17 allows bushing 18 to escape and the latter reverts to its position shown in FIG. 1.

As the drawing clearly shows, the interior portion of thrust member 6 is tubular and forms a cylindrical housing 20 therein. This feature of thrust member 6 is designed to permit the use of either of two cartridges 15-15 of different size, one having a large-diameter reservoir of large capacity, such as the cartridge 15 shown in FIG. 1, and the other a reservoir of smaller diameter but of greater length, such as cartridge 15' shown in FIG. 2. When a large-diameter, large capacity cartridge 15 is used, thrust member 6 thrusts against the cartridge by its forward end-section 21 (see FIG. 1). Conversely, when a cartridge 15' of smaller diameter but greater length is engaged into the pen casing 1, the rear extremity of the cartridge reservoir engages into housing 20 of thrust member 6, whereupon the latter acts on the cartridge 15' of smaller section by the endclosure 22 of housing 20 (see FIG. 2).

The control system for ball-point pens, hereinbefore described, thus offers the advantage of enabling either of two cartridges of different ink capacity and different cross-section and length to be used in the same ballpoint pen.

Manifestly, the system described herein for enabling cartridges of difierent capacity to be used in the same pen could be applied to a control system other than that described hereinabove with reference to the drawing. Indeed any type of push-button operated control system could be devised so as to embody the constructional feature claimed in the present application, and it will sutfice for a housing 20 to be formed in the thrust member (which may be of any shape whatsoever) to enable the thrust member to operate equally on either a large capacity cartridge or a small-capacity cartridge of greater length.

I claim:

1. In a ball-point pen including a casing, means for regulating the extension and retraction of ink cartridges of dilferent sizes, comprising, a push-button rotatably and reciprocally mounted in the upper end of said casing, control means actuated by said push-button for latching the cartridge in its extended and retracted positions, the lower portion of said push-button including a tubular housing with a central bore to permit utilizing within the same pen casing either of two different sizes of cartridges, one of which has a diameter larger than the bore of said tubular housing and against which the lower edge of the push-button housing abuts, and the other of which has a diameter smaller than the bore of said tubular housing and fits within the bore of said tubular housing of said push-button and abuts the bottom wall thereof, a threaded coupling carried by said control means and axially slidable with respect thereto and means within said casing mating with said threaded coupling to connect said control means to said casing.

2. A ball-point pen according to claim 1, wherein, said control means includes a cam, said coupling is provided with a cam follower, means biasing said pushbutton and coupling apart, and a shoulder on said coupling limits displacement of said push-button by said biasing means.

4 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 7/1963 Great Britain.

LAWRENCE CHARLES, Primary Examiner. 

